Pneumatic apparatus.



B. L. J. GISSOT.

PNEUMATIC APPARATUS. APPLICATION I I'LED JUNE 20, 1908.

Patented Jail. 18,1910.

EMMANUEL LOUIS JEAN Grssor, or vAnvEs, FRANCE.

PNEUMATIC APPARATUS.

Specification of ,Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

Application filed June 20, 1908. Serial No. 439,637."

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMANUEL Louis JEAN Grssor, a citizen of the Republic of France, telegraph superintendent, residing at 5 Rue Raspail, Vanves, Seine, France,

have invented a new and useful Improve-' ment in Pneumatic Apparatus for the'Despatch and Reception of Postal Matters, Small Parcels, or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a pneumatic apparatus for the despateh and reception of postal matter, small parcels or the like, said apparatus comprising in substance a movable head, compressed air and vacuum receivers, distributing and braking valves, together with the pipes for the conveyance of the articles from one oflice or place to another, and various operating'devices.

The invention will be understood from the following description by way of example of apparatus embodying the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure 1 is a general diagrarrnnatic view of the various elements of the apparatus. Fig. 2 shows a section of the twin valve. Fig. 8 shows a section of the valve for controlling the opening and closing of the bar rel for the reception of postal matter. F ig. 4 is a detail showing in section the means-for shifting and locking the crank. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate two modifications of themovable head. N

The head is formed of a closed shellor casing A, in which a barrel C containing a" diametral tube C is arranged to turn on journals 0. The barrel G of which the outer surface is in the form of a taper as well as the inner surface of the shell A can be more or less drawn into the shell for purposes of adj ustment similarly to the plug of a valve and a slight motion suffices to turn it without leakage occurring. The barrel is turned by means of the toothed sector S operated by a pinion p thespindle c' of which has keyed on it a crankm actuated by a rod 12 connected to the plunger of a piston R working in a cylinder R. The stroke of the piston is such as to allow of the barrel. C turning through an angle of to left or right of its normal position.

F is a retarding valve for supplying pressure in a reverse direction, thus reducing the speed of the carriers, the action of which t which can be regulated by; a handwheel N so asto obtain the desired'ratio between the two apertures r and r; the total aperture is constant and equal to the crosssection ofthe conveyor piping. V

J is'a twin valve adapted to put the line in communication either with the co1npressed air reservoir P or with the vacuum chamber 1V by actuating the distributing valves D and D. The valve G is connected to the atmosphere by the pipeg, and to the source of pressure by the pipe 9, and the twin valve J is connected to the source of pressure by the pipes 1' and g, and to vacuum by the'plpe j. Normally the valve J is in aposition such that the lower portions of the distributing valves D and D are open to the vacuinngof the receiver V so that the --interfering with the passage of the carriers.

Dc.s7;atch.--By turning the right hand plug'of the valve J into its first position as shown in 2, the compressed air from Itheresei' voir P is admitted through pipe j to pip'e D and by itto the'bottom of the will be described later. It contains a tongue 55 communicates with the atmoscyliuderot the distributing valve D and lifts the piston thereof. 7 The left hand plug of the valve J, remains in its second position so thatthe bottom of the cylinder ofthe distributing valve D communicates through thepipe D with the vacuum chamber V.

Under these conditions, the compressed air from the reservoir P passes, through the valve D to the top of the valve D and depresses :thepiston ot' the latter through the .pipe v7, and thence passes into the line of the tube C of the barrel C. On opening the cover E for the insertion of the carrier,

"piping through the pipe U and the top of; I W

the hinge of this cover turns theiour way 1 valve G-the plug of which is connected there I to, as shown 'in Fig. 3., The valve G is so arranged thatwhen the cover is opened the pressure is admitted through the pipe 8' above the piston R and the under face of this piston s put in eommunlcation with the atmosphere through the pipe 9, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The piston therefore descends and pulls down the connecting rod 7) which turns the crank m, pinion 79 and toothed sector S so that the aperture :12 of the barrel C coincides with that of E. The carrier containing the postal or other matter is inserted into the tube of the barrel G and the cover E is closed, the effect of which is to put the under face of the piston R in communication with the compressed air and the upper one with the atmosphere as shown in Fig. 3. The piston R is thus caused to ascend and the barrel C to return to its original position. The carrier is then impelled by the pressure in the pipe U through the line U to the desired point of the installation. As it is usually required to send consignments in quick suecession, means are preferably provided for preventing interruption of the pressure in the lines during the operation. For this purpose the barrel O is provided with two apertures Z and Z which come opposite the connections B and B when the barrel is turned to the sending position.

Receptz'0n.By. turning the right hand plug of the valve J into its second position, the lower portion of the distributing valve D is placed in communication with the vacuum. Its piston therefore descends under the action of its weight and the pressure of the atmosphere and closes the connection leading to the compressed air receiver P. On the other hand by turning the left hand plug of the valve J into its first position the piston D is caused to rise under the action of the compressed air and so put the line in communication with the vacuum chamber. Simultaneously with this operation the retarding valve F should be operated to close partially the orifice 1" and open to the corresponding extent the orifice r so as to switch air through the pipe it for the purpose of reducing the speed of the carriers at the delivery. This operation is eifected by the handwheel N by means of which the tongue 23 can be slid as required over the orifices 1" and 1". The crank m is now shifted by hand or otherwise around the pinion 7) through an angle d and the cover is turned back from the aperture S. This may be done by any well known means; for instance, as shown in Fig. 4, by a spring-pressed pawl 10, mounted in the crank m, engaging in notches 11, in the pinion p, which notches correspond to the two positions of said pinion. The carriers sent from an oflice or station come in by the line U, pass through the part L into the connection B and thence into the tube of the barrel C. The door E is now opened, whereupon the barrel C turns under the action of the piston R and the opening 3/ COIIIGSOPPOSFDG the opening S through which the carrier or carriers fall.

The closing of the door E returns the barrel to its original position. To obviate the inconvenience which might occur by reason of the presence of more than one C(HlSlglb ment in the tube C as the result of sending consignments in too rapid succession or of mistakes in despatehing and the eil'ect of which would be to impede the rotation of the barrel, there is preferably fitted in the connection B a rod or pusher II, by means of which the carriers can be pushed down into the pipe suiiiciently to allow the barrel to turn.

Simultaneous despatch and reception- The working conditions may be such as to necessitate the apparatus serving both for despatch and reception. In such case it will only be necessary to shift the crank m and operate the valve J to at once comply with either of the above conditions. The apparatus as hereinbefore described is especially apapp licable for terminal offices or stations, but at intermediate ofiices or sub-stations it is of advantage to employ a special head as shown in Fig. 5 in place of that before described. In this case the apparatus is operated by hand, the crank m is replaced by a hand lever m and the apertures E and S are always open. The carriers are received through the aperture S by operating the lever m to bring the tube C opposite this aperture. If the carriers are not intended for the station receiving them, the barrel C is turned to bring C opposite E and the carriers are introduced into this aperture whereupon the return of the lever m to its original position sends them into the line in which they travel on to the next station. The same result can be obtained as shown in Fig. 6 by coupling two barrels of the kind shown in Fig. 1 and fitting the spindles 2' outside with pinions p p operated by two racks b b which take the place of the connecting rods Z) (Fig. 1). These racks are then actuated by pistons like R as usual and the operation of these latter brings the orifice y of a barrel 0 opposite the aperture S while the orifice m of the other barrel C comes opposite the aperture E when the door is opened. The complete installation also comprises a draining device K for preventing the detrimental action of water of condensation. This device is formed of an iron box connected to the pressure piping by a cast iron branch 3 with which it communicates both directly and by tube 2. Inside the box is a float 4- which is adapted in its ascent to open a cock 5 fitted in the short leg of a siphon 6 the long leg of which discharges into the atmosphere. The pressure is permanently established in the box by the barostatic tube 2, so that the condensation water can run freely into the box by the connection 1. In cases where the draining device K is fitted on a despatehing or receiving line the part 3 will be preferably formed ing to the ends of said casings andbOn-necof a fitting similar to the part L already-detions whereby said tubes may be connected scribed. to either of said tanks, substantially as de- 1 claim: scribed. is In a pneumatic apparatus of the character In Witness whereof I have hereunto set described, the combination With a head my handJune 1908 in presence of two sublocate}? in the lilne, of a cgmpressed air tankl, scribing Witnesses. a

an ex aust tan means or connectin saic a tanks alternately with the despatchtub e sys- I V EMMANULLLOUIS JEAN GISSQT tem, said means includinga dlstributer valve Witnesses:

connected to each tank comprising a casing, 'DOU LAs HORACE BRANDON,

a balanced valve in said casing, tubes. lead- JUs'riN E. POLLAX. 

